Medical tourism in Tijuana, without traveling blind

Safety doesn't depend on crossing the border — it depends on who you're treated by and where. Dr. Chama is a board-certified plastic surgeon who operates in a hospital setting, at Hospital MAC — the same standard you'd require of any surgeon, wherever they're located.

Tijuana is the border city immediately south of San Diego. We won't promise you an exact crossing time: it varies by day, port of entry, and your documentation, and that's not something the practice controls. What we do control is the logistics on this side once you decide to come.

Valid identification for the border crossing, typically a passport or the equivalent document you already use to enter Mexico. Confirm current requirements with the immigration authority; the practice helps you with dates, not with the immigration process itself.

Yes. First contact is on WhatsApp and the initial assessment can be a video call. We only coordinate your visit to Tijuana once the plan is clear.

It depends on the procedure and how your recovery goes in the first days — it's not the same length of time for a blepharoplasty as for an abdominoplasty. It's defined with you in your assessment, with enough margin before you cross back.

The practice doesn't operate its own lodging, but it guides you on areas near Hospital MAC and Plaza Península when coordinating your visit, so the logistics of your first recovery days are as simple as possible.

Yes. Consultation, informed consent, and follow-up are handled completely in Spanish and English, for local patients and for those coming from Southern California alike.

It's recommended to come with a companion, especially on procedure day and the first days of recovery. The practice gives you specific instructions for your case in your assessment.

Before you leave Tijuana, you receive clear warning signs in writing. If something worries you once you're home, you message us on WhatsApp and the practice tells you whether a virtual review makes sense or whether to go to an urgent-care facility near you; for emergencies, always prioritize the nearest medical care.

Not necessarily. When your case allows it, follow-up afterward can be handled by video call, so you don't depend on crossing the border for every routine check-up — only when Dr. Chama considers it necessary to see you in person.

That's exactly what the remote assessment resolves: Dr. Chama reviews your case by video call and tells you honestly whether the procedure applies, what to expect, and whether it's worth waiting or adjusting the plan — before you organize your trip.

We don't publish prices because there is no single price: it changes with the procedure, the technique, and your clinical case. You receive a personalized quote after your assessment, with no surprises or out-of-town-patient surcharges.

Relevant medical history, medications you're currently taking, allergies, and prior surgeries if applicable. The practice confirms exactly what's needed based on the procedure you're considering.

We treat patients from all over Southern California and other parts of the United States looking for a board-certified plastic surgeon with bilingual care in Tijuana. Travel logistics are coordinated the same way, no matter where you're starting from.